Captain Earth: Episode 14-16 Review

Love is in the air, and there certainly is plenty to go around in this next installment of Captain Earth. The scenes have only become more poetic and stimulating in this tale of interstellar love and war recently, and I still feel surprised at how well this anime has held my interest thus far for a genre I rarely tread into.

Episode 14 reveals Hana’s pining for Daichi’s affections, as well as her fears that he will reject her love because she is not human. Meanwhile at MacBeth, and it has become apparent that the Kiltgang, along with supercomputer Puck, have been manipulating CEO Kube all along. To this end they take control of a MacBeth satellite and turn it into a meteoric missile for the purpose of wiping out Globe’s Tanegashima base once and for all. When all hope seemed lost, Hana activated her dormant powers to stop the impact. Her continued anguish over Daichi caused her to flee the scene however, and Episode 15 picks up with her finding a vagrant Setsuna, with relationship problems of her own. Their meeting was cut short as Kiltgang came looking for them, and they both made a desperate run for it. Kube finally discovers the machinations of the Kiltgang and Puck, but his attempts to reassert control over them proved to be futile as the supercomputer utilized a reprogramming of sorts that renders the CEO a slave to his subconscious desires. A running motif of kissing ensues that builds up to a spectacular climax: a cornered Setsuna is smooched by Amara and turned into Siren, the true leader of the Kiltgang Planetary Gears; an eerily-transformed Kube embraces his secretary for the first time in forever, and Daichi makes his unconditional love known to Hana once and for all, removing all doubt from her mind. The Kiltgang launch a surprise ambush, hoping to use Hana as a damsel-in-distress hostage and force Daichi and Teppei to submit to their fates. But Hana’s wrath knows no bounds after her new awakening, and soon the duo beat another hasty retreat. This Hana-centered arc concludes in Episode 16 with her piloting the Flare Engine and put up against Kiltgang idol mistress Aitair, as the reunited Kiltgang prepare for their final push. A “divine intervention” of sorts gives her the opportunity to turn the battle’s tide in her favor and repel the enemy. Behind the scenes, Globe begin their final operations; Intercept Faction will send the Midsummer Knights to the Kiltgang mother ship and bring a swift end to the invasion, while the Ark Faction moves forward to send the chosen human elites off-planet before the Kiltgang get to them first.

As bad as Captain Earth’s initial pacing was, I really have to give credit where it’s due. The story thus far has moved me in ways I never thought a mecha anime could. The characters are alive and share deep connections and motivations that bring real complexity to an otherwise run-of-the-mill interstellar war. It is certainly my hope that the present and future recaps can encourage disappointed viewers to give this series another chance.